Nature’s larder
Gordon Castle’s grand walled garden in the Spey Valley has a long history of productivity that has been resurrected by the current owners, finds
Asked why he was keen to move north to take the post as head gardener in the eight-acre walled garden at Gordon Castle in Moray’s Spey Valley, Ed Bollom doesn’t hesitate. ‘I was enticed by this project and I wanted a new challenge,’ he responds. His wife, he adds, had a connection to the area.
‘Project’ is an understatement. At issue is the total restoration of the early 19th century walled garden, possibly the largest of its kind in Britain, begun by Angus and Zara Gordon Lennox five years after they took over the running of the estate in 2008. By that time the garden, which sits at some distance from the castle, had been put down to grass and the only evidence of a gloriously productive past was the 262 fruit trees espaliered to the brick lined walls expertly pruned by former head gardener Willie Robertson. Zara and Angus were keen to retain the productive element of the garden and the question of what to do with the produce arose.
The idea of producing and infusing gin with botanicals such as mint, lavender and fruit and developing a range of luxury botanical projects inspired and flavoured by their own herbs and flowers took shape. ‘We wondered if people would like to come and see where the ingredients for our products came from but we knew this would involve making the garden more
‘The only evidence of a gloriously productive past was the 262 fruit trees espaliered to the walls’
beautiful,’ explains Zara.
Of the four designers asked to submit plans, Angus explains that only one, Arne Maynard, ‘had a sense of space and was passionate about the growing of fruit, herbs and vegetables and fully understood our need to create a practical and productive vegetable garden. We wanted a design for the next 100 years.’ Of the other three designers asked to give estimates, one said ‘you must be barking mad’, another suggested too many new buildings and the third a Victorian restoration.
Arne’s credentials as a vegetable gardener were confirmed when Angus went on a course he ran at Allt-ybela near Zara’s childhood home in Wales. He then produced a formal design that allowed plenty of room for informal planting while incorporating the main structural, focal points in the garden. Beside gates these include the former head gardener’s cottage, designed to look like an English cottage garden from inside the walls and a Scottish baronial house from outside.
‘The formal elements are balanced by the garden maze at the north end, a sunken amphitheatre that seats 400, and a natural children’s play area that is built from bits of the old castle,’ Zara explains. Later, the original Victorian glasshouse was restored by the estate joiners to a high standard. Wild strawberries and violas grow in a small meadow area where the grass is cut once a year after flowering and underneath 12 quince trees.
The layout is defined by wide paths running between brick-edged beds and has at its heart a raised pond enclosed by lavender ribbons surrounded by 12 rectangular vegetable and annual beds. Nigella, orange marigolds, dahlias, pink and white roses, four long rows of sweet peas and perennials add a glorious burst of themed colour to the flowerbeds. The
‘The formal elements are balanced by the garden maze at the north end’